Animal-trap.



P. B. PRANTE.

ANIMAL TRAP.

APPLIOATION'IILBD JULY 1, 1914.

1,121,663 Patented Dec. 22, 1914. M

I i UNKTE menses.

emits PATENT ornicn FREDERICK B. FBANTE, OF PACIFIC BEACH, WASHINGTON,ASSIGNOR OF, oNE l-IALF TO MICHAEL SPINJNER, OF

GATE, WASHINGTON.

ANIMAL-TRAP.

To all whom it may concern 1 Be it known that I, F EDERICK B- PRANTE,citizen of the United States, residing at Pacific Beach, in the countyof Chehalis and State of Washington, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Animal- Traps, of which the following is aspecification, panyingdrawings.

This invention relates to new and useful .improvements intraps,"andparticularly to that'class of traps which are provided with springactuated jaws.

'An object of this invention is the provision of a trap having springactuated jaws, each of the'jaws being provided with a supplementalflexible j awwhich when the jaws are in closed position are disposedinwardly of the main jaws to engage'the foot of the animal and slack thespeed of the outside jaws, to prevent "the same from breaking the leg. I

A further object'of this invention is the provision of a trap whichincludes spring actuated toothed jaws, to which flexible steel springwire jaws are connected, the flexiblewire jaws being disposed below andinwardly of the toothed jaws when the same are in closed position,,toprevent the animal from gnawing the leg below the main jaws of the trap.Y

WVith these and other objects in view, my

invention consists in the novel construction,

of one end of the base plate showing one end.

.of the. jaws pivotally connected thereto; Fig. 3 is asectional view onthe line 3'3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4: is an end view of the jaws in closedposition showing the same removed from the base plate; and Fig. 5isj anend view of the jaws in partially open position,

showing. the same removed from the base plate.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral l'designate'sthe elongated base plate of the trap, the base plate having a pan plate2 projecting'laterally .therefrom intermediate of its ends. Angularopenings 3 are formedin the opposite ends of the base of the jaw holdersare angular reference being had to the accom-,

y turning relatively to the base plate,

holders are secured to and arrangement of parts, to

1 is a top plan vlew of im-' Specificationof Letters Patent. Patented D22 1914;; Application filed July 1, 1914. Serial No. 848,477. I

1 plate, and jaw holders 4 which are provided with reduced dependingextensions 5 areadapted for connection to the opposite ends of the baseplate. The-reduced extensions 5 as at 6 atthe juncture of, theextensions with the body portion of the holder, the angular portion 6being engaged in the angular openings 3 in the plate to prevent the jawholders from r and the lower extremi tiesof the extensions 5 which,

projectbelow thebase plate are threaded for the reception of nuts 7whereby the jaw the plate 1. Each of the jaw holders 4 is provided inits upper face with an elongated groove 8, the grooves extending atright angles to the'longitudinal plane of the base plate, and passingthrough the walls in the groove of the jaw holder is a pair of pins 9upon which are pivotally mounted theends of a'pair of substantiallvU-shaped jaws 10. Each of the jaws 10 is. provided in its inner facewith a longitudinal series of transversely extending teeth 11,

'theteeth of one jaw being disposed between the teeth of the other jaw,so that the jaws when closed against the leg of'an animal, will kink thehide, thus preventing the animal from pulling itsleg out of the trap andalso preventing the animal from twisting its leg and pulling the furout, and preventing the pelt from becoming damaged. To close, the jaws10, a spring 12 is provided, the spring being of the usual U- shapedconstruction and being provided with an enlarged apertured head 13 atoneend, the .head being adapted for engage ment over one of the jaw holders4 beneath the jaws, so that the upper leg of the spring uponmovingupwardly owing to the tension of the metal composing the springwill close the jaws and hold the same tightly against each other.Pivotally connected adjacent one end to theupperend of a stem 14: pro-,jecting from the pan plate 2, is a triggerbar,

15 to the longer or inner end of which is secured a bait pan 16, andpivotally connected to the outer upturned end 17 of the plate 2 V is theouter end of a trigger 18, the trigger 18vbeing adapted to engage overone of the. jaws 10 when the same are in open position, and the free orinner end'ofsthe trigger 18 is adapted to be engaged by theshorter endof the trigger bar 15 whereby the jaws are held in open position; andthe baitpan- 16 is disposed above the pivotal point of the trigger bar15. Connected adjacent their opposite'ends by rivets 19 to the jaws areflexible steel wire jaws 20, the intermediate portions of flexible jaws20 being disposed inwardly and downwardly of the jaws 10, and havingtheir opposite ends secured to the jaws 10 adjacent the opposite ends ofthe leg of the animal, the inner flexible jaws the latter jaws.

' In the practical use of my improved trap bait is placed abovethe baitpan 16 and the jaws are-opened in the usual manner and held in'theiropen position against tension of the spring 12 by the trigger 18 whichen'- gages the trigger bar 15 connected to the pan, and it will be seenthat when the foot of an animal depresses the pan 16, the trigger 18will be released to allow the tension of the spring 12 to close the jaws, As the jaws are forced to their closed position to engage firstengage the leg of the animal toslaclren the speed of the outsidetoothedjaws, and prevent the same from engaging the leg of the animalwith such force as tobreak the same. it is a well known fact, thatanimals very seldom, attempt to gnaw out of a trap if the leg is notbroken, and that animals never gnaw above the jaws'which engage the leg.It will be seen that owing to the disposition of the flexible jaws belowthe toothed jaws of the trap, that the animal will be prevented fromgnawing on the leg below the main jaws of the trap,sh0uld the 1 legbecome accidentallybroken by the animals attempt to disengage itselffrom the trap,-or by any other means. 7

It will be seen from the drawing taken in connection with theabovedescription, that the several parts of the trap may bereadilydisconnected, it being merely neces sary to turn thenuts 7 oilthe threaded e1;- tensions 5 of. the jaw holders,'when it is desired toremove the jaws from the base plate and the jaws'may be readilydisengaged" from the holders by removing the pins 9 'upon which the endsof'the jaws arepiw' otally mounted.

Having thus :iullydescribed my invention, what I desire to claim andsecure by Letters Patent, is

v 1. A device of the character described comprising a base plate; sprmgactuated main jaws pivotally connected tosaid base plate, means forholding thetjaws in open position against the tension of the spring, andyielding supplemental jaws connected to the first mentioned jaws anddisposed slightly inward thereof, but out of alinement therewith.

2.v A device of the character described comprising a base plate, springpressed aws pivotally connected to said'base plate, flexi- Copies ofthis patent may be obtained for five cents each, b yvaddressing the blesupplemental jaws connected at their op- 1 posite ends to the firstmentioned jaws, the intermediate portions of said supplemental jawsbeing disposed inwardly and downwardly of the first mentioned jaws,means for holding said jaws in open position against the tension of thespring, and means for releasing the last mentioned means. 3. A device ofthe character described comprising a base plate, a plate extendinglaterally from the base plate intermediate oilits ends, jaws pivotallyconnected at their opposite ends to said base plate, flexiblesupplemental jaws connected at their voppo- -site ends to the firstmentioned jaws, said supplementaljaws being disposed inwardly anddownwardly of the first mentioned jaws intermediate of their ends,'atrigger piv otally connected to the-outer extremity of l the laterallyextending plate said trigger being adapted to engage oyer oneof saidjaws to retain the same in open position against the tension of thespring, a trigger bar pivo'tallyv connected' to the laterally extending(plate for engagement. at one end with the trigger to lock the aws inopen position, and a bait pan carried'by the op.-

posite end of the trigger bar.

t. A device of the character describedcomprising a base plate,substantially U- movably mounted jaw, and an independent resilientlyyielding supplemental jaw dis- In a trap of the character describecha.

posed inward ofthe first mentioned jaw and out-of alinement therewith.

6. In a trap, a movably mounted jawfand a resiliently yielding memberextending parallel to but out of alinemcnt with the jaw and disposedinward thereof.

7. In a trap, a base plate, spring actuated oppositely disposed jawspivotally connect I ed to thebase plate, a trigger mechanism for holdingthe aws in open posit on, and resiliently yielding members mountedupon-H and movable with the jaws and disposed each in-a plane in advanceof the inner face of each jaw and out of alinement therewith; Intestimony whereof I hereunto afiix my.

signature in the'presence of two, witnesses.

, Witnesses:

JEFF D. GLENN, i CHARLI E. KELLEY;

Washington, D. G.

FREDERICK B. PRA NTE.

Commissioner of Patents, 7-

